Vintage military Ka-Bar Sharpening

This was definitely a treat to sharpen. Enjoy 🐓

[@waynebean1521]

Super! The "Ka-Bar" I had was a Camillus. Ontario made them, too. Case submitted a prototype in WWII but was not contracted....they are selling a reproduction, right now, of that prototype but the blade, at least, is made by Ontario. 1095. And my Camillus? Well, it's doing what it's supposed to be doing. It's been deployed twice with my grandson who is in a construction battalion in the Air National Guard. From what I've read, the contractors in WWII switched to those composite "bayonet style" scabbards because leather rotted in no time in the South Pacific....usually, the handles were coated with something.....I forget what but remember it had to be applied with heat. The Camillus I had was treated with it although it had an unmarked leather sheath. I put a screaming edge on it with DMTs (all I had at the time). Benjamin Bouchard watched the Manticore video and sent me a message last night saying, "Great video...thanks for the heads-up!" Keep rocking! Wayne

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Nice info. And why didn't he comment!? Danget

[@twhite19782012]

Hey Chris, I've watched a couple of your lapping videos and I really appreciate them. I have a couple Dan's Arkansas stones but I also have a set from a lower quality Arkansas Stone Supplier that needs both flattened and lapped. Would you mind going over what all the supplies are that I need. I have some SIC powder and I know I'll need some sandpaper for lapping but I'm unsure specifically what grits to use for each of the different stones of the set (soft, hard and black). I realize that I will want to lap to a certain grit dependent on what I want each stone to finish as. For the most part these will only be used for knives. Thanks for any help you can give and don't listen to the ID10T's that run their mouths constantly. There is a LOT of people that watch your videos and they appreciate everything that you do for this community. All of the knowledge that you share for FREE is priceless. I for one cannot thank you enough for what you do.

[@denniswhite166]

I'm just adding this comment because I'd like to hear what Chris says. This way I'll get a notification.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Yes I will do that.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

@@denniswhite166 I will do a video on it soon.

[@twhite19782012]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 Thank you!

[@denniswhite166]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 Looking forward to it.

[@denniswhite166]

I have the same knife - USN fiberglass scabbard. It was issued to me and I reported it "lost". It was not new when I got it in 1972 but I don't know how old it is.

[@analogoutdoors]

I lap all my Arks to 800 grit, and let the difference in the characteristics/type of stone do the work. It's all personal preference, but that works well for me.

[@analogoutdoors]

That is a knife you want to hold on to. As to the steel, as far as I now, military spec for that knife was and is 1095. But there could be a short amount of time they were using something else for how long it's been in service. I doubt it, though, but you never know.

[@bamafaninky861]

Nice all the way around. Stones, knife and sharpener.

[@ShowemRight]

I seen this Haitian man use a piece of discarded flat sided concrete to sharpen a rough looking machete to a razor edge. The machete was sharp as a a surgeons scalpel. Then he went on to slice sugar cain like a hot knife through butter.

[@bamafaninky861]

View 165. Slept late.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Oh man.

[@randallwilliams9663]

Zinc Phosphate blade that is. Or its also called parkarized coating. That's how the originals came or they were blued. Now they powered coat the blades. Which is ugly. Lol!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Yes it is

[@MrGodofwar666]

i love seeing those primitive cuts, they remind me of prehistoric times, nice video chris, nice blade too, i need to get me a ka-bar now

[@jeffsmith6441]

Great video! I mentioned it in the last video but my Dad left me his KaBar from Vietnam. It isn't KaBar brand but it is the same thing basically. It was the knife they issued at that time. It has a bent pommel and has been sharpened so much the blade is noticably smaller. He had a USMC replica never used that he left me too. I wish that knife could talk. I'm sure it would have some stories to tell! Awesome video Chris!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Very cool, and thank you

[@phelandeluna5439]

I have a standard Ka-Bar and a Short Ka-Bar. They are both 1095. They are also available in D2.

[@ninjacow63]

Yeah they definitely made KA BARS better back then. You know when they were handmade by people, not machines or robots. Good video bro keep them coming.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

That's true

[@isaacs_knives_and_knowledge]

Very satisfying sharpening video. I shall subscribe

[@DawahTrucker2024]

Rooster those are some beautiful beautiful stones brother, man I'd love to have them. I noticed that you started with the soft then you moved into the hard. What's the actual starting process?? Hard to soft or the other way around?? I understand that the ending is the black. Those stones look priceless, the whole block and the cut and the combination of the natural stone is just impressive.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

I started with a mandicore then went to a Crystalon medium

[@dannyjackson2062]

I got a cass xx usmc....its dull I borrowed a 2 stone of my cousin ..which actually sharpens it soft or hard ...what am I doing wrong I'm at the angle ..

[@dannyjackson2062]

Best video ..im just startng out sharping my camillus & kabar..

[@colinj5291]

I think the orginal Ka Bar's were parkerized.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Could have been

[@pcooke9865]

Love that knife, love that edge and love the Navy!!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Il liking it to lol

[@timothyragsdale5891]

Oh man that is sweet!!!!!!!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Yes it is. I really like this blade

[@barkingspider2007]

Great Video 👍. Thanks

[@michaelkelton749]

hey rooster mike kelton here it is 1095 carbon steel i have my daddys ww2 kaybar but the were pals back then kbar later on i have a latter model and a baby kbar, love them.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Very cool Mike

[@alexmorris3106]

Don't you just love the K Bar, Eck usmc

[@davidhammonds170]

That guy is going to be thrilled with that edge!👍

[@johnbelmore1178]

I never learned how to use a stone 😕 I don't know the thing about it

[@augustwest3575]

Cool video

[@dannyjackson2062]

Sharp. Love the old ka bar

[@dannyjackson2062]

are you at a angle ..i ordered a stone

[@kristiangroth8146]

I'm new to this... Ain't u supposed to sharpen in the other direction? drag instead of push?

[@jeffsmith6441]

The way I've heard him explain it is that you want to hold the blade at the angle that you would almost be slicing a thin layer off the stone. That helps create a burr on the edge. When you have a burr all the way across the edge you flip the knife and start on the other side. You only pull the blade if you're stopping it. If you go back and watch his other videos he'll teach you a lot. Hope this helped

[@kristiangroth8146]

@@jeffsmith6441 thx a lot.

[@jdemeter4357]

Another great video. The rest of my DAN'S Stones came in ,soft and hard I ordered the translucent and hard first.So now my edge's are even sharper because I am not missing a step. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR ADVICE

[@waynebean1521]

Dragging or trailing strokes is a technique used by people that use soaking waterstones that tend to be soft and friable and could get gouged by the edge of the blade. It's typically used with Japanese knives on those types of waterstones. Even if you see people using the "scrubbing" method on soaking stones, they put more pressure on the trailing strokes than when they pull it towards them. You dont have to do that with Arkansas stones.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

I only do that convexing. And no

[@randallwilliams9663]

I'm subscribed to your channel and learned alot from you. Thanks man!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Not a problem. Thank you for the sub

[@randallwilliams9663]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 thanks again brotha

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

@@randallwilliams9663 anytime

[@rickwhitson2804]

I've got one. A really great knife. Hi-carbon steel

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

The vintage ones are great. The new ones are junk

[@rickwhitson2804]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 yes sir I agree 💯

[@randallwilliams9663]

I believe the original k bar were just plain 1095. Now they are 1095 crom. van.

[@MattieBoii209]

Yo thank for the video brotha!! It definitely helped!! I have a combat mtech thats basically a ka-bar design but for some reason i was having trouble sharpening it to razor sharp lol I think its because i usually carry a big bowie so it was a little different in shape haha i typically do the diagonal swipes and its always worked but i had to adjust my angle since this is thinner than my bowie lol

[@dannyjackson2062]

would you sharpen a case xx usmc the same one ...the blade is different then kabar

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

Yes

[@dannyjackson2062]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 I've sharpen it but rips paper. So just keep on

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

@@dannyjackson2062 yessir. Did you build a burr?

[@dannyjackson2062]

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 I'll go try it again. Here in a few.

[@Huero87]

I have an old western brand knife that i just inherited from my grandpa. It's in pretty bad shape as far as rust is concerned. How much would you charge me to fix it all up? I can send some pics if you give me some contact info.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

I'll take a look at it. [e-mail]

[@chrisfell2621]

How do we check out your account? Is there a link? Nevermind I found it.

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

You're on it

[@williamsmith5429]

That 1 hell of a knife 💪

[@JoelJimenez1997]

What angle did u sharpen at sir? I'm curious because I'm wanting to sharpen mine I was told at a 40 degree

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

I sharpen how my hand lays. I checked it once against a fixed system and it's somewhere between 20 to 22 degrees. Whoever told you 40 degree's has zero clue about sharpening. I wouldn't put a lawnmower blade at 40 degree's

[@jwhiteker1]

For some reason it has been said that Ka-bar is supposed to be sharpened at 40 degrees = 20 degrees per side. Kind of misleading.